


Dad

by ChestnutBrumby



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Aftermath, Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Grieving, Nightmares, Post Infinity War, Spoilers, This one's pretty bleak guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 14:21:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14750532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChestnutBrumby/pseuds/ChestnutBrumby
Summary: Spoilers, obviously, if you haven't seen IW.





	Dad

The moment Rocket understood why the soldiers around him were turning into dust, he ran. He dropped onto all fours and moved as he seldom did, pouring on every bit of speed his ravaged, pulled-apart and put back together body was capable of.  
  
The fear almost choked him as he bolted. Because somehow, even before he reached Groot where he lay against a fallen tree-trunk that had been knocked over in the fighting - Rocket knew.  
  
Groot looked up at Rocket as he slowed down and lifted onto his back legs to creep towards him, as if his meager footsteps would disturb what he was afraid would happen. There was an understanding far too ancient for Groot's actual age in his eyes. Rocket made a tiny noise of protest, closing the distance between them.  
  
Not Groot.  
  
"I am Groot." The fear in it confirmed what was happening, as well as the word itself. Groot had never called Rocket D _ad_ before that moment. Rocket's heart constricted. It couldn't end like this.  
  
"No..." He managed to speak aloud only the single word of protest as he reached out to Groot, moved towards him, as the outline of his body began to fragment. "No, no no, Groot!" Rocket's tiny hand reached for his boy and ineffectively passed straight through as he finished turning into ash, right there in front of him. His arm stayed up, helplessly empty, as a final defeated _no_ escaped Rocket.  
  
Groot was gone.  
  
It wasn't like when turned and faced Ronan after he'd been responsible for this the first time. This time, there was no blinding flash of anger. Rocket felt hopelessness descend upon him as the darkness encroached on him, and he didn't fight it. How was he meant to go on without Groot?  
  
"Rocket?"  
  
His eyes flew open and he lashed out blindly at whoever dared touch him. His teeth sank into a finger, and Thor yanked his hand back with a muffled curse.  
  
Rocket sat up, disorientated from his nightmare. He didn't think he'd ever be able to close his eyes again without having it. For a moment he stared at Thor, trying to get his bearings. He was outside, on an unfamiliar planet - Quill's planet, he remembered. This was Quill's planet, Terra. The realization drew a thud of worry within Rocket over Quill's fate.  
  
"Thor." He managed, lowering his head slightly in a show of apology he couldn't quite verbalize. Thor waved his bitten hand, not seeming to take any offense. A rabbit bite was the least of his concerns right then.  
  
"Has there been any word from Quill?"  
  
Thor slowly shook his head. He didn't look like he'd slept at all. Maybe Gods of Thunder didn't need any, but he looked like shit. "Nothing yet from your crew." He replied with a hint of apology in the words, handing Rocket a plate of food. The raccoon stared blankly down at it. It smelt like good food, but his stomach flipped over at the thought of eating anything.  
  
"No sign of Thanos?"  
  
"None."  
  
"How long was I out?"  
  
"Merely a few hours." Thor settled at his side, looking a thousand planets away. Rocket looked around them. The garden they sat in - he dimly recalled refusing to go inside earlier - was perfectly manicured save for where a large, heavy body (one of Thanos's monsters, since removed) had crushed flowers and small shrubs where it had landed. There was only a small bloodstain left behind where it had lain.  
  
Staring at that patch of blood, then came the surge of anger, and Rocket knocked the plate aside, and refused to feel bad about the wasted food tumbling to the ground and the crack that appeared.  
  
"Where are you going?" Thor rose to follow him, but he hesitated when Rocket rounded on him, his teeth bared in a furious snarl.  
  
"To do something about this asshole that fucked up my galaxy!" Shouted back Rocket, making his voice as angry as he possible could to hide the fact that tears had filled his eyes. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry.


End file.
